Violence has escalated ahead of a peace talks deadline At least 10 security personnel have died in an ambush by Maoist rebels to the north-east of the capital, Kathmandu, authorities say. They say the rebels suffered an unknown number of casualties in the attack in Sindhupalchouk district. A booby-trap device exploded on a section of highway as a patrol arrived and rebels then opened fire. Over 10,000 people have died in the Maoist insurgency which aims to replace the monarchy with a communist republic.
'Grave threats'
The rebels claimed 12 security personnel were killed in Sunday's ambush, in which they said they had seized weapons and ammunition. They said three Maoists had died during the attack on a section of the highway that links Kathmandu with Tibet. The rebels often use explosive devices to target highway patrol teams.
At least 70 people have died in the past week as violence escalates ahead of a 13 January deadline set by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for the rebels to enter peace talks. The rebels have rejected the deadline. Separately, three international organisations have alleged that human rights activists in Nepal face "grave threats" from both security forces and Maoists. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists say Nepal's human rights situation is causing growing international alarm. They say local rights activists, journalists and lawyers have been detained under anti-terrorist legislation and their offices raided, while some have been abducted, tortured, threatened or even killed.
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